Vine-pulling machine.



Patefited Sept. .19, I899.

A. R. muusou.

VINE PULLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

2 Sheets--Sheet (No Model.)

Z? JUL 11hr wizvw "cams PETERS cu, vHuTauma, WASHXNGYON n c ings, Adesignates the main frame of the ma- UN ITED STATES Y PATENT @rrrcn.

ALONZO R. MUNSON, OF NAPOLEONVILLE, LOUISIANA.

VlNE-PULLING MACHINE.

srEcIFIcATioN forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,209, datedSeptember 19, 1899.

Application filed March 29, 1899.

To all; whom it Wtay concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO R. MUNsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Napoleonville, in the parish of Assumption and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVine-Pulling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmachines for pulling vines, and more especially pea-vines, from theearth and for depositing them in heaps upon the surface of the groundafter their roots have been removed therefrom.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine which willefiectively perform the above-described result and one which may bemoved over the ground continuously without failure to pull all the vinesin its path of movement.

With this object in view the invention con sists in the novel featuresof construction and arrangement of the parts hereinafter moreparticularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like letters and figures of reference designate correspondingparts, Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying theinvention,an Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawchine, comprising parallel sidebars 1, connected together at their forward ends and near their centersby cross-bars 2 2*; Extending centrally between the side bars andprojecting beyond the main frame is a tongue 3, which is suitablyconnected to the front cross-bar 2 and to center cross-barfl. The frameA is mounted in the present instance upon the axle 4 of a pair ofsupporting-wheels 5, although it will be understood that whenpracticable and desirable four wheels may be employed, and the saidframe is so arranged that it may be adjusted vertically for the purposeand by the means which will be hereinafter described.

Extending transversely across from one side bar of the frame A to theother and arranged near the front and rear ends thereof, respectively,are two pulling-finger shafts G 7 the Serial No. 710,988. (No model.)

said shafts being mounted to rotate freely in journals or bearings 8 ofthe frame and one being preferably arranged in advance of thetraction-wheels and the other in the rear thereof, and while theseshafts may be formed solid in the interest of lightness and strength ithas been found desirable to form them tubular, as shown. Each end ofshaft 6 7 has a collar on each side of bearing 8 to hold the frame inposition, and likewise the frame holds them. Radiating from each of theshafts 6 7 at equidistant points around their circumferences are seriesor rows of pullingfingers 9, each row extending from one end of itsshaft to the other and the fingers thereof being separated. The ends ofthese fingers are adapted to engage with the vines which lie close tothe ground and pull them up by the roots. The fingers 9 maybeconstructed in any suitable manner and formed of any desired material.As shown, however, they are tubular in cross-section, and it ispreferred to form them in-this way. When the machine is to be usedforpulling vines growing upon level ground, the pulling-fingers are ofuniform length; but in most'instances, especially in-the case ofpea-vines, the vines are planted on the top or upon the sides ofparallel rows of earth, between which are furrows, and in order thateach finger of a row may be brought to a uniform distance from the earththey are formed unequal in length. illustrated in thedrawings is adaptedtopull Vines from a single row of earth, and in order that thepulling-fingers may conform substantially to the contour thereof thefingers intermediate the end ones are the shortest, as shown, the longeror end fingers being adapted to e'xtenddown into the furrows upon eachside of a row.'

The machine The rows of pulling-fingers f) of each of the rows ofpulling-fingers stationary, such mechanism being under the control ofthe operator to release the fingers at predetermined intervals to theend that the shafts 6 7 and their fingers may be rotated by the weightor resistance of vines collected by one row of pulling-fingers to bringthe next succeeding row into operative position.

\Vhile various devices may be employed for controlling the action of thepulling-fingers and their shafts, the means which will now be describedis simple and has been found effective in practice and is preferred forthis reason.

Above the main frame A is what will hereinafter be termed a trip-frameB, comprising a center bar 10, arranged above the tongue 3 of the mainframe, and at each end the said center bar is connected by transversetripbars 12, adapted to be engaged by the ends of the rows ofpulling-fingers and hold said fingersand theirshaftsagainstrotation. Thetrip-frame B normally rests upon the crossbars of the main frame A, butis movable with relation thereto to carry the trip-bars out ofengagement with the pulling-fingers 9, this being permitted byconnecting the opposite ends of the trip-frame to the main frame bymeans of links 14, the ends of said links being pivoted to the side barsof the main and trip frames. By this arrangement the tripframe may beshifted longitudinally of the main frame and the trip-bars removed frombeneath the ends of pulling-fingers. As a convenient means of shiftingthe trip-frame B a lever 18 is provided, which lever is pivoted at itslower end to the main frame and intermediate its ends to the center barof the trip-frame, the upper end of the operatinglever extending intoposition to be conveniently grasped by the driver or operator. A seat 19is provided and supported upon the upper ends of parallel bars 20,pivoted at their lower ends to a shaft 21, extending transversely acrossthe main frame and having its ends journaled in bearings 22 of theopposite side bars thereof. At their upper ends the bars 20 arepivotally connected to the upper ends of links 22, the lower ends ofwhich bear upon and are pivotally secured to the center bar 10. By thussupporting the seat it is permitted to shift its position whenever thetrip-frame is moved.

Projecting from the lower faces of the side frame-bars 1 are slottedguides 25, through the slots of which projects the axle 4. This axle ispreferably rectangular in cross-section and opposite sides thereofconform closely to the edges of the slots. Fixedly connected to the axle4 near the opposite ends thereof and projecting vertically therefrom arerack-bars 26, with the teeth of which mesh pinions 27, mounted upon theshaft 21. Likewise mounted upon the shaft 21 is a hand-wheel 28, bymeans of which the shaft and pinions may be rotated, and by reason ofthe engagement of the pinions with the stationary rack-bars the main andtrip frames may be raised or lowered, as desired, to bring the points ofthe pulling-teeth to the desired positions relative to the ground. videdfor holding the hand-wheel and, in consequence, the main frame in anyposition to which they are adjusted.

Briefly stated, the operation of the machine is as follows: It is drawnover a fieldbysuitable power, the wheels of its truck running in thefurrows and a row of pulling-teeth of each pulling shaft or frame beingin close proximity to the ground and held stationary by the locking andreleasing mechanism or trip-frame. The pulling-fingers comiugintoengagement with the vines pulls them from the ground by their roots andcarries them along with the machine. \Vhen a sufiicient quantity ofvines has been collected by the two rows of fingers, the operator byshifting the lever 18 actuates the trip-frame, and the ends of the tworows of pulling-fingers which are in engagement with the trip-bars arereleased. Then by the pulling effect or weight of the collected vinesupon the previously-operative rows of fingers both pullingshafts arerotated to discharge the vines upon them and at the same time bring twonew rows of pulling-teeth into operative position, after which thetrip-frame is shifted rear- Wardly, and the trip-bars thereof cominginto engagement with two rows of pulling-teeth hold the pulling-shaftsstationary until the trip-frame is again shifted.

It will be understood, of course, that by providing two pulling shaftsor frames and arranging them one in advance of the other the progress ofthe machine need not be arrested each time it is desired to discharge amass of collected vines, since the vines missed by the forwardpulling-fingers during the rotation thereof will be collected by therear fingers before the machine passes over them. Therefore it isunnecessary to draw the machine over the ground a second time, as isoften the case with machines now on the market.

The peculiar construction of. my machine enables it to pull pea-vinesamong cornstalks without pulling up as many stalks, and consequentlywithout so much dirt, as other pullers do.

Without limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement of theparts shown and described, since it will be obvious that various changesin such construction and arrangement may be made without departing fromthe spirit or scope of my invention, what I claim is 1. In avine-pulling machine, the combination of a truck, avertically-adjustable frame mounted thereon, and two rows or series ofpulling-fingers, one arranged in advance of the other, carried by theframe, substantially as described.

2. In a vine-pulling machine, the combination of a truck, avertically-adjustable frame mounted thereon, and two rows or series ofpulling-fingers, one arranged in advance of the other, carried by theframe, the fingers of A suitable brake device is prothereof,substantially as described 4. In a vine-pulling machine, the combinationof a truck, a main frame mounted thereon, a rotatable shaft j ournaledin the frame and having a series of rows of pulling-fingers radiatingtherefrom, and a reciprocating tripframe upon the main frame havingtrip-bars adapted to engage the pulling-fingers to prevent the rotationthereof, and means for reciprocating the trip-frame to carry thetripbars out of engagement with the pulling-fingers, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a vine-pulling machine, the combination of a Wheeled truck, avertically-reciproeating frame mounted thereon, a plurality of shafts journaled in the frame, one in advance of the other, a series of rows ofpulling-fingers arranged at equidistant points around the circumferenceof each shaft and radiating therefrom, and means for'holding the shaftsagainst and for permitting the simultaneous rotation thereof,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO R. MUNSON.

Witnesses:

EUG. E. OHAUVIN, ABNER A. FOLSE.

